A tour of minsk

Minsk is an unavoidable stopover for tourists on their way from Warsaw to Moscow. It’s a town with a long and colourful history, ready to award you with enchanting images. This ancient city, a sprawling cosmopolitan metropolis, merits you visit. The citizens are justifiably proud of the city with its tree-lined avenues, busy thoroughfares and shady parks. Whether you prime interest is the arts, architecture, sightseeing or shopping, Minsk caters for all tastes.

Minsk is a magnet for culture-hunters, as it is packed with landmarks and architectural glories.

Mention must be made of the Trinity Suburb. It was reconstructed and modernized to make a single architectural ensemble. It is a quiet and isolated neighbourhood where the old picture-postcard houses seem to be whispering their secrets across the cobbled way. Meander along its streets, explore its lanes and plunge into the atmosphere of bygone days. Here you come face to face with history. A complex of curio shops and restaurants attracts visitors for a break from a day of work or hectic sightseeing.

Another remarkable highlight is Church of St. Simon and Helena. The “red church” was built by a noble family in 1910 after the death of their two children. The towers house three bells named after the church founder, his father and hid dead son. The church was a cinema and a film studio. Today it’s the main Catholic cathedral and a place of worship and pilgrimage.

Minsk is dotted with parks. And if you are tired of hustle and bustle and want to get away from the crowds, turn off a busy thoroughfare and you will find yourself in one of numerous parks, green islands of peace and quiet in the middle of the noisy sea. The Central Botanical Gardens, Gorki Park, Yanka Kupala Park are at once playgrounds and tributes to nature. They provide an escape from the city’s maze of streets and buildings. Indulge yourself in just sitting back and watching people go by and children play. At the Botanical Gardens you can stroll from a rainforest to a formal French park, explore an alpine rock garden or learn about plants of the Far East.

All of this and much more await you in Minsk. Your visit to the capital will be both educational and enjoyable!

Share your impressions of a good perfromance

Last month, while walking, my friends and I noticed a poster for a new production to be presented by our local Drama Theatre. A play written by a famous playwright was put on by a talented young director. After the opening night the play got favourable reviews from critics and we decided to see it.

As the theatre box-office didn’t accept bookings by phone we didn’t book tickets in advance. Having met in the foyer an hour before the performance we bought four seats together in the balcony. Of course, we would have preferred something closer to the stage as we were afraid that we wouldn’t get a good view from the balcony, but the stalls, boxes and the upper circle had already been sold out. To tell the truth, we were lucky to get tickets at all!

After buying the tickets we went to the auditorium. An usher showed us to our seats. We were not surprised to see that the house was filled to capacity. When the audience noticed the curtain rising, they broke into enthusiastic applause greeting their favourite actors on stage.

The play was set in the 18^th century, and the fabulous scenery and highly effective costumes made us forget the present days. Both the leading actors and the supporting cast delivered an inspired performance. No praise could be too high for their brilliant acting, perfect technique and superb timing.

When the curtain dropped after the performance, the members of the audience gave the cast a standing ovation. The actress who played the title female part took five curtain calls. The director won a storm of applause too.

To cut a long story short, the production proved to be a huge box-office success. It is likely to run for at least a year.